


Accidental Intrusion

by Bluvixen



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Accidental Peeping, F/M, Zevran is a jerk :P
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 13:26:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6958276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluvixen/pseuds/Bluvixen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was a prompt I did for Frenchy (frenchy-and-the-sea on tumblr) a long time ago as part of an OTP challenge. The prompt was to write a small story based on a random quote, so the one she selected for me was: "Hey, have you seen the....? Oh." This was a fun prompt for me to write for these two and now has more or less become part of my canon xD Hope you enjoy it!</p><p>Please leave a kudos or a comment if you liked it, as well as any feedback!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidental Intrusion

**Author's Note:**

> -This takes place before the Warden (Linwë) and her group find the Dalish encampent in the Brecilian Woods. This is also before Alistair gives her the rose.  
> -Two other characters mentioned in the story are Tári Elensar (Lin's half sister) and Rimdir Mahariel, an OC by arrowrinehart (who you can find on tumblr and here on AO3: http://archiveofourown.org/users/ArrowRinehart/pseuds/ArrowRinehart)

Alistair walked briskly up the path to the creek, grunting as another stray branch snagged his white cotton tunic. He was looking for his fearless Warden leader, Linwë, hoping that she had his sword. Minutes earlier he was tearing through the camp trying to find his trusty blade and Zevran mentioned that she took it with her to the creek with her mabari, Hagrid. 

_'She said something about cleaning the blood off your blade before it rusts, and that you were too lazy to do it yourself,'_ Zevran had told him. Alistair found it strange that Linwë would take his blade to the creek to wash it, especially not when they had cloths and cleaning oils for that kind of thing back at the camp. Then again, she did like to go off on her own every once in a while and maybe she hoped to surprise him by doing something nice? So, he ignored the assassin's sly grin and walked off to find her. 

Alistair moved from the main path to one of the smaller ones, pushing past the low branches and stepping over a couple of roots. They entered the Brecilian Woods two days earlier trying to find one of the Dalish clans, but the search for them was proving to be more aggravating than they anticipated. Even with Lin's half sister, Tári, and Rimdir, both fellow Wardens formerly of the Dalish, it was difficult to track a clan skilled in covering their tracks and hiding deep within the forest where few humans dared enter. But their hunters were legendary and they still had an obligation aid the Wardens against the Blight. 

Eventually he heard the sound of splashing and loud barking from Hagrid, followed by Linwë's giggling and cursing. "Dammit, Hagrid, hold still!" her voice echoed through the trees. The sounds made Alistair smile. He had come to love the sound of her laugh, whether it was at one of his cheesy jokes or even at him. He guessed she was giving Hagrid a bath since the last time she let Wynne clean him he looked incredibly miserable. 

He walked around one of the larger trees and pulled back one of the lower branches. "Hey, Lin," he began, ducking his head beneath the branch. "Have you seen my..." 

When he raised his head, all of the air left his lungs in a sudden gasp. Indeed, Linwë was in the water with Hagrid, but she wore nothing but her smallclothes and her breastband. He could see everything: every scar, every curve, every toned muscle. Her wet skin glistened in the rays of sunlight that peaked through the trees, and her blue-green eyes seemed to glow in the shade. She was skinny and he could see the bumps of her ribcage, but there was a gentle curve to her sides and her abdomen was toned, likely from all of the fighting and walking they did every day. 

He had never seen any woman nearly naked before, so seeing Linwë like this made his heart want to leap out of his throat. His gut clenched so tight it began to hurt. He saw her eyes widen in shock and he couldn't tell if she was more alarmed than angry. He felt the heat rise up his neck and to his cheeks, and he was certain his skin looked redder than a tomato. He tried to say something, _anything_ , to make this less awkward and terrifying. But, as usual in situations like this, nothing came into his empty head so he just stood there with his mouth agape, looking like a damn fool. 

The only thing he managed to get out in his apparent stupor was: "Oh..." 

Linwë's cheeks lit up faster than his did and her shocked expression quickly turned to anger while she ducked behind Hagrid. She nearly disappeared behind her large hound, whose hackles were raised and was giving off a protective snarl. "Alistair, you ass!" Linwë snapped. "The hell are you doing here?!" 

"S-s-s-sorry!" Alistair stammered. He wanted to avert his eyes and run away back to his tent, but he felt frozen in place under Linwë's intense glare. "I-...th-that is, I was, um, l-looking for-" 

"Instead of standing there like a slack-jawed idiot," she cut in, "could you maybe, I don't know, _turn around?_ " Hagrid let out an angry bark. Every muscle in his body was tense and he looked ready to spring from his spot and charge him at any moment. 

"Uh, right!" Alistair agreed, immediately turning on his heel while raising his hand to the corner of his right eye, attempting to both conceal his reddening face and avert his gaze. "Maker's breath, I'm so sorry, Lin! I had no idea you were out here b-bathing. Had I known, I would've never-" 

"It's fine," her reply came quickly. 

It didn't sound like she believed him at all, so he tried to once again explain. "P-please don't get the wrong idea. I-I don't peep in on women often. Or at all, really. Honest!"

"I said it's fine," she snapped, clearly more irritated than before.

 _Maker, she's furious!_ Alistair thought. "Please, let me explain," he said, flinching when he heard another growl from Hagrid. "You see...uh...Z-Zevran mentioned you may have had my sword, s-so I just came to see if you had it. I was going to sharpen it, you see, and -" 

"I don't," Linwë replied quickly. "Haven't seen it since we made camp. Why would Zevran think I had it?" 

"He said you were cleaning it," he replied. "As some kind of favor. Clearly he was mistaken." 

"Clearly," she agreed. 

They stood in awkward silence for what felt like several minutes. Both seemed afraid to move from their spots out of fear of what the other would do. When the quiet became unbearable, Alistair finally spoke. "Well then...uh...I'd best be off. S-sorry again for walking in on you while you were i-indisposed. Well, technically I wasn't walking in anywhere per sé, b-but-" 

"It's fine, Alistair," Linwë answered impatiently. "Just...don't tell anyone about this. You know how rumors fly around camp." 

"Oh believe me, I do," Alistair answered quickly. "And I promise, I won't utter a peep." He cleared his throat and resisted the urge to turn his head back around. "W-well, uh...see you back in camp." 

"Yeah." 

Alistair took off at a brisk pace, making plenty of noise as he crushed the twigs and leaves beneath his feet. He shoved every low branch and shrub out of his way, not caring if anyone or anything heard him. In fact, part of him wished that an assassin or Dalish hunter would put an arrow between his eyes right now to save him from the embarassment.

He couldn't believe he saw Linwë nearly naked like that. To see her so exposed like that, and in the open for that matter! He was fairly certain he ruined whatever friendship they had, all because he tricked by Zevran.

 _That sneaky bastard. He set me up!_ He was almost certain that it wasn't a mere coincidence. In fact, his suspicions were confirmed as he came stomping back into the camp an saw Zevran standing there with his trusty sword in hand.

"Ah! There you are, Alistair," Zevran said in a friendly tone. Alistair could just see the smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. "It seems I have found your sword. It was behind your tent of all places. Sorry to send you off on a wild goose chase, as it were."

"I'm sure you are," Alistair replied darkly, grabbing the sheath and swiping it from the elf's hands while giving him the meanest glare he could manage.

"Why, whatever is the matter?" Zevran asked in a deceptively innocent tone. "Your face is completely red. Did something happen between you and our dear Lin?" 

"You know damn well what you did, Zevran," Alistair snapped. "And just so you know, I'll be keeping a close eye on you from here on out. You're not tricking me like that again." Zevran's smirk widened. "Oh, now that sounds like a challenge," he answered, following Alistair as he began walking to his tent. "Come now, Alistair. It was all in good fun. Besides, you and our dear Warden looked as though you could use a little nudge. I was simply helping you along, especially since you are 'wooless'-" 

"Enough," Alistair groaned, running his hand over his face and then back against his neck. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't attempt to play matchmaker between me and Lin. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a sword to clean." 

Alistair ducked into his tent, ignoring the widening smirk on the Antivan elf's face and the snickering coming from their companions. He plopped down on his bedroll and dropped his sword to the side, resting his face in his hands for a moment. This was probably the most embarrassed he felt in his life, and now he feared what Linwë thought of him now.

He sighed and pulled out the rose he picked from Lothering. Its petals still had its rich red color and looked almost as good as it did the day he picked it. He asked Wynne if he could put some kind of enchantment on it to make it last longer and, to his surprise, she was able to revitalize it with her healing magic. But not without her prodding him about who he intended to give it to. It got even worse when she teased him about finding guidance in Lin's "swaying hips." 

Yet the thought of Wynne's teasing brought his mind immediately back to Linwë's hips and how curvy she looked. The image of her in the water with Hagrid was still vivid in his mind. Her dampened hair, the drips of water on her skin, her slender legs- Alistair shook his head, grabbing a tuft of his hair and sharply tugged it. He hoped the pain would force the memory out of his head, but it would only be temporary. There was no way he would ever be able to forget that. His heart thumped in his chest at the mere thought of it.

He glanced down at the rose once more and heaved a sigh. He spent the last couple of days trying to figure out how to approach her and present it to her. Now he was fairly certain that she would not want anything to do with him after tonight. Then again, she didn't seem that angry back at the stream. In fact, she looked just as alarmed and surprised as he was. And she didn't throw anything at him or sic Hagrid on him, so...maybe there was still hope? 

He sighed and lay back on the bed roll, staring up at the rose as he held it over his head. _Soon,_ he decided. But not yet. At least not until they both calmed down - and until the snickering from their companions stopped. While Alistair could take the blows to his almost non-existant ego, Lin was surprisingly shy about it. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass her and make her draw further away from him. 

Placing the rose down against his napsack, he closed his eyes and put his forearm over them, letting out another calming breath as he tried not to think about Linwë nearly naked; which lead to him thinking about it even more. _I am a bad, bad man,_ he finally concluded, letting out an embarrassed chuckle while a foolish smile formed over his lips.


End file.
